Rain On Me, Baby

The past three days have been relatively...wet. Rain rain rain all over Vienna. My Monday walk to class was dry- cloudy, but free of precipitation. I had planned to return to Belvedere, but when class let out the sky was already puking. So I took the U-Bahn with Rita to return to Westbahnhof. Basically, I melted into the sofa in the lounge; there was nothing to do. I hung around the Hostel, mostly with John, waiting for something to happen...and it didn't. So I took and hour and a half off from vegitating and walked to the end of Mariahilfer and back, browsing stores. Traffic on this street is even more ridiculous when the weather is unkind- umbrellas poking everywhere, hobos huddling under overhangs, teenagers zig-zagging around the elderly...

I chose to buy nothing, and rather donated time to reflecting and contemplating in Pfarre Mariahilf, a Roman Catholic church resting a few feet to the side of the largest shopping strip of Vienna.

It is always amazingly calm inside. The dark hues of the aged walls, wooden pews and religious art quell my inner demons. There are also half a dozen old-fashioned chandelier-style lights dangling from the ceiling, remaining 10 feet above the heads of visitors by means of measley, emaciated cords. They are probably as old as the pews.

Maybe not the best photo, but certainly accurate.

Tuesday evening Rita, Helga and I went for beverages at a bar lounge near Stephansdom before heading to a small movie theater down a side street. We saw "What Just Happened" (or "Into Hollywood," as it is titled in Vienna.) It was an amusing bit of satire, and Robert de Niro impressed me quite a bit. Kristen Stewart, way to make an appearance. I appreciated your effort to deviate from the "Twilight" path.

Afterwards, I walked to the U-Bahn alone. But my guardian watched over me as I took to the streets:

Stephansdom and street cafes by night.

So at ease, always lovely.

Yesterday was the most wonderful of Wednesdays. The AMA kids invaded Vienna. Erika Firestone and Hayley Amerman are part of that troupe. Yes, I was reunited with my sisters in EUROPE. It was marvelous. Erika phoned me via Hayley's cell and I went to meet them behind the Oper. We had lunch in Cafe Rosenburg (I believe...) which offered a pay-as-you-go buffet. So I loaded my plated with a scoop of every different kind of salad (e.g. bean salad, asparagus with cheese, etc.) I got to know some of their new friends and we went for Eis- a mandatory staple for any European visit- near Stephansdom. Nutella was rather delicious...I don't think it tops Hazelnut. After a lovely hour and a half with Pennsylvanian teens, we parted ways and I made my way back to Westend, got rained on...puring rain...and slept for two hours. It was such a nasty day. But I woke up, drank an excessive amount of Coke Zero (CAFFINATION!) and put on my sneakers...
I thought I was in awe of Vienna- I thought I'd had my fill.

I realized I had overlooked Schloß Schönbrunn. So I took an evening run to find it.

And I discovered a whole new nuance of love.

Wien, how I underestimated you.

My usual route on Mariahilfer takes me to inner city Vienna (Oper, Stephansdom, Donaukanal, etc.) I turned my back on that part of town and set off in the wet evening stick, determined to find this marvel. I took Mariahilfer southwest First, I literally ran into the Auer-Welsbach Park- lush, large and possessing a marvelous rope and obstacle course that could serve as a playground for adolescents. Then I began to notice a different atmosphere to my left- the sort of calm that can only be enforced by the natural instinct to venerate an aged, revered landmark.

And there it sat. Schloß Schönbrunn in as much humility as a palace can possess. The stormy clouds hung low overhead and shifted quickly from right to left; the canal to my left raged muddy rain water toward the center of the city; but the beautiful structure before me just sat, meditating, staring upon the grace of this part of Wien.

I immediately set forth, firm in my step, suddenly revived from the three day drench. I had to pause to take in the view from the bridge over the water. Down the stretch on my right I saw a fairytale-esque tower standing tall over what I assumed to be a church...of course it had to be a church. Perhaps this was nothing extraordinary to behold, but in the enchanting mist of the evening, with the regal hills decorating the background, I felt as thought I had been taken back to a less severe, more simplistic time...where perhaps the sylvan creatures would gather at your feet and the forests would be rich with life and you may or may not be dressed like Little Red or Sleeping Beauty (pick a cliche.) How could this be hiding beyond the allure of the shopping district? I took in the feel of the cold concrete rail, moss and all upon my lazy fingertips. The sides of the waterway were alive with more moss and habitation. I think most of all I was in awe of this city's ability to breathe...seeing as my only comparisons have been NYC, Philadelphia, Pittsburg. America, America, I miss you so, but your lack of age and experience makes you inferior in some ways.

Enough with the exclamations of the profound and monumental natures...needless to say a view from the gates was all that I took because they gates were closed. And dusk was setting in rapidly. So I returned to the hostel and sat around with John, 3 German 18-year-olds, a Swede and another Austrian. They all smoked, and they smoked a lot, so I had to shower at 1 in the morning so as not to gag myself with the smell.

I woke up early today (I average 5 hours of sleep every night...I stay up and socialize/write) and got breakfast before the hoard of 13-year-old school boys and girls invaded the room. Walked to class in the clear morning air- no hint of rain. AMEN. Class today was nothing special. I would say the Thursday itch for the weekend set in. After class, though, I went with Rita to Humanic, a well-known shoe store. She needed to purchase comfortable "around-town" kicks. And it was a great success. We bought sandwiches at Anker and sat in the grass in front of Museum Quartier for an hour, walked to my hostel so that I could drop off my German books and change, and then returned to the Deutsch Akademie for the cultural program.

This week we took an extended walk around town to get a glimpse of the Jugendstil...a somewhat complex pespective and style of architecture, particularly known in relation to the name Otto Wagner. We saw an Apotheke (pharmacy), bank, and the station at Karlsplatz. Really, so much was seen and said that I cannot find the motivation to write all about it in this already-too-lengthy post. But it was a lovely, warm evening spent sight-seeing in Vienna with my lovely ladies Rita and Helga, Fardin and another man from Iran who tried to get me to go to a Disko with him...haha. We went for drinks at Mocca Lounge next to Naschmarkt where we spend a good hour discussing diversity amongst cultures and traditions, specifically the acceptable relationships between young men and women, and the ridiculous drinking age in America. I am so proud...I spoke almost entirely in German!

For my daddy, the Feuer Man!

"Alyson Hannigan," Rita, Helga, Iranian man before the Anker Urh, a massive clock built by Franz von matsch in 1911. Every hour represents a famous or revered individual who played a crucial role in the making of the history of Vienna. We all look ridiculous and unprepared, but the clock looks better with humans standing beneath it.

Another branch heading toward the Donau, this time flowing through Stadtpark.

This park is gorgeous. And I adore the architecure displayed in these photographs. This was another stop on the Jugendstil tour. (Josef Hackhofer und Friedrich Ohnmann, 1903-1906)

After I polished off my Melange, the ladies went back to Humanic so Helga could buy her coveted shoes in her size. We then sat outside at Bar Italia Lounge on Mariahilfer to do our homework together and enjoy some more drinks. We were there for over two hours. I truly appreciate these women. They have such diverse experiences that I am constantly learning when around them. Rita told us all about the unique customs of the Japanese culture while Helga explained her brother's superior handiwork skills.

It was a tiring day, considering we covered half of Vienna in 2 hours' time.

I needed to polish off this entry (I began it 2 days ago...)

So here you have it. Enjoy. And I appologize for any spelling/grammatical errors. I just type and don't take a second look at what I've written.

This week's playlist (as of Mittwoch, a.k.a. "Wednesday"- my iPod is my most faithful companion on my morning excursions to class, and throughout any other exploration adventure I take by myself):

BILLY JOEL & MUSE (The hostel played one of their CDs overhead on Saturday. I was in heaven.) And perhaps "Fidelity" by Regina Spektor. In case my taste in music is of interest. Vienna looks and feels even more whimsical (yes, whimsical) and inspiring when there is music playing somewhere in the background.